Some Unspoken Feeling
by AmbitiousEnglishStudent
Summary: :CONTAINS GOTG2 SPOILERS: After the events of GotG2, Rocket decides to prank Gamora with unforeseen and shocking consequences for all the Guardians. They head to a long-forgotten planet to rebuild their team - meanwhile Quill and Gamora are on the brink of revealing their true feelings to each other. HEADCANON CHARACTER PERSONALITIES, may be unusual to some readers. My first story.
1. Chapter 1

As of late, Peter had been feeling noticeably unusual since saving the Galaxy for a second time.

Having had much time to himself away from the other Guardians to accept Yondu's passing – understandably so, given the magnitude of his loss – he had been able to ponder over what his late biological father, Ego, had tried to tempt him with during their time together: Finding meaning.

It had been Ego's obsession to create carbon copies of his planet throughout the Galaxy by planting seedlings on other worlds and waiting for the right moment to unleash their power, but until he had reunited with Peter he had never been powerful enough. The reason for this was that Peter, like his father, had Celestial abilities – meaning that they could control and reshape the Galaxy on a whim, but only if their potentials were combined. Ego had manipulated Peter into providing the extra power he needed to set off a chain reaction of planetary annihilation, which had very nearly succeeded until the Guardians had obliterated the deranged warlord by detonating a custom-made battery bomb in the brain of Ego's planet. This had subsequently destroyed the Celestial abilities within Peter, leaving him normal – which is just the way he wanted to be. But still, he wondered if his purpose _**did**_ lie within the realm of gods, and he had missed a crucial opportunity.

No. Ego had been wrong. It was impossible now, anyway, Peter thought. He wasn't part god any more since his father was destroyed, and he never would be again.

However, Peter had an unwavering feeling that his real power lay in something _**superior**_ to rearranging the cosmos as he saw fit, and this feeling would pulsate through his veins like a tangible object. Alone in the Milano's silent kitchen, his mind drifted to his newfound family with whom he had had many spectacular adventures, the Guardians he rubbed shoulders with every day.

There was Drax, the blue humanoid alien with super-strength and a reputation for taking everything literally. There was Rocket, a trigger-happy genetically modified raccoon who was also a fast talker and loved a bet. Then, there was Groot, a sentient tree-like being who, despite being limited to a three-word vocabulary, was knowledgeable and sensitive. And finally…

One stood out in particular. One who seemed to know what he was thinking just through the look on his face, or a glint in his eye. One for whom he had repeatedly risked his life without thought. One who, when they were in close proximity, needed no words; just an unspoken yet mutually acknowledged feeling that gravitated between them and surrounded them like faultless light.

That One was Gamora.

 _ **Could she be his true purpose?**_

Peter was oblivious when Rocket presently sauntered into the room headed for the fridge, almost jumping upon acknowledging the strikingly silent Star-Lord nonchalantly staring at the wall opposite.

"Hey, Quill?" The raccoon enquired in a tense voice while examining the Terran, his conquest of the fridge soon forgotten. Peter suddenly blinked and his mind focused, then he shook his head peculiarly before turning his attention to Rocket before him.

"You OK?" encouraged the furry Guardian with a concerned look. It took Peter a few seconds to find the words to respond.

"Yeah. Yeah, thanks, Rocket" he replied finally, followed by a stretch that was much needed after sitting still for so long.

"Want me to fetch Drax or something so you can talk?" asked Rocket as he observed his comrade, "He's been through a comparable situation to you, so he'll be able to sympathise with your losses." Peter was silent, and the raccoon took it upon himself to haul his small but armour-clad form onto the couch next to where Peter was sitting, still looking a bit confounded. "What's eatin' ya, pal?" He was quite concerned now given Peter's usually buoyant disposition. The Star-Lord knew that, despite Rocket's current solicitude, he would never be able to admit how he felt about Gamora without being mocked. But how _**did**_ he feel about Gamora? He couldn't make any sense of it himself, but he knew for certain that he'd never been through so much with a woman before, except Meredith…

"I'm all right, buddy," said Peter, offhand and with a sigh. "Just been through a lot recently losing both my dads and stuff. It gets too much sometimes" Rocket looked away, but Peter could see that he was grimacing. He and Yondu had bonded in an unexpected way during their last mission to destroy Ego, when the two of them had been imprisoned on a Ravager ship with Groot and Nebula in tow. The pair had discovered how similar they were and had thus finally felt understood by someone in the Galaxy after being emotionally isolated since creation. Now that short-lived rapture was gone, and Rocket was crushed to say the least. This was part of his steely and apathetic demeanour which had grown ever stronger since Yondu's passing. He suddenly did not want to pursue comforting Peter any longer.

"All righty. Well. Let us know if you need anything" the Guardian said gruffly, hoisting himself off the couch and padding swiftly out of the room, his appetite vanquished. Peter guiltily watched him go. How did he not just confess and avoid upsetting one of his only friends? Surely Rocket wouldn't out him to Gamora, and if he did, she probably wouldn't take him seriously.

Gamora was an undaunted Zen-Whoberian woman who had been trained as a ruthless assassin by her adoptive but murderous father Thanos, and she had turned on him upon learning of his plot to destroy the planet Xandar with Ronan the Accuser as his servant. She had met Peter and his newfound team of Guardians not long after this discovery, and they had seen to it together that Ronan was eliminated and the Galaxy safe once more. Thanos had escaped their grip, however, and was still out there secretly plotting.

Given Gamora's less than conventional upbringing – she was only just beginning to form the foundations of a stable relationship with her own sister, Nebula, due to a bitter rivalry instilled by Thanos from childhood – Peter knew that pursuing her would be a task more difficult than getting Drax to understand what 'in a nutshell' meant. He immediately asserted within himself that he wouldn't take things quickly at all for fear of being literally stopped in his tracks, probably by Gamora's weapon of choice, the Godslayer.

Thinking logically, Peter knew that Gamora must be scarred by her past, to say the least. This meant that she would need to be approached carefully and spoken to clearly, without judgement. Given his experience in past short-lived relationships, he had humorously painful memories of how women reacted when he judged them superficially. However, he recalled that those women had wanted nothing more than a one-night stand and had not ten per cent of the depth that Gamora did. She had substance, intelligence and determination. These qualities helped complete the team of Guardians and helped them defeat enemies of the Galaxy.

The more Peter thought about Gamora, the more he became confident in the idea that she was part of his purpose for existence. This confidence and unspoken attraction to everything about her filled his muscles with strength, and he thrusted himself up off the couch with newfound clarity in his mind. He would seek out the green-skinned creature and state his fascination with her, praying that she would not rebuff him. And if she did, he would take it like a Terran and respect her decision.

Strangely, Peter had to convince himself that she would not reject him; his usual cockiness and conviction that he could not fail was currently absent. Furthermore, his mouth dried when he strode over to the mirror and envisioned Gamora staring back at him with a look of horror and disgust in her deep brown eyes having been approached romantically. This made Peter's heart sink a little, but he bravely kept his chin up and quietly repeated to himself: _You are not an idiot. She's bound to find any display of affection hard to handle._

He jumped a little when Drax suddenly appeared at his side with a smirk on his face. _Oh, great,_ thought Peter. _Just the person I need to out me to Gamora – and laugh raucously about it too._

"I have never known you to be this infatuated with yourself!" boomed the blue Guardian, a triumphant grin on his face. "You could not resist staring at your reflection for all the units in the Galaxy!" With a hearty laugh, he clapped Peter on the shoulder, almost shoving him face-first into the mirror.

"Drax, now is _**not**_ the time" Peter laughed, but it was half-hearted. The mighty humanoid seemed to notice.

"You're overthinking something?" he questioned, the humour disappearing from his voice. Peter was wise enough to tell the truth this time.

"Only slightly," he replied, "Now, promise not to laugh, but…" He caught Drax smirking and sighed. "Already? I haven't even begun yet. What kind of team are we if we can't be respectful to one another once in a while? Forget it." He slumped back down onto the couch in semi-defeat, semi-annoyance. This touched a nerve within Drax, and he took Peter by the shoulders, hauling him up to face him. The Star-Lord stared out The Destroyer defiantly.

"Listen, Quill" growled the blue Guardian, "you're not normally like this. You are hardly ever serious and you can understand humour better than anyone. I was only reacting in my normal way. There is no need to have such a…a…" He frowned, evidently trying to convey something he didn't truly understand. "What are those things called on those Terran bombs…?" Peter cast his mind back to his years on Earth. Suddenly, he realised.

"Oh, a short fuse" he provided. The Destroyer nodded keenly and grinned.

"Yes, that's absolutely right" he concurred. Then, he recovered his seriousness and tightened his grip on Peter's shoulders. "If there is something you need to say, then I demand you say it now. We are a team, and we look out for each other." He was almost threatening.

"All right," said Peter, "It's to do with…"

" _ **ROCKET! WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE PLAYING AT?!**_ " came the yell from a female voice laced with fury, drowning out Peter's sentence instantly. In a millisecond, a flash of black, brown and white whizzed past the two Guardians and dived behind the couch, insane laughter following it. Moments later, Gamora burst into the room, Godslayer in hand, puffing with rage.

" _ **Where is he?**_ " she snarled as the two men stared with wide eyes. Neither answered, they were so shocked at how angry she looked. She marched up to them, looking from one face to another. " _ **Well?**_ Where is that furry rat?" Drax snickered quietly and released Peter's shoulders with a carefully rehearsed wink, turning to face Gamora.

"He's in the cockpit, dear Gamora" said he. With a growl, she surveyed the kitchen briefly before turning on her heel and stamping out of the room. As soon as she was out of earshot, the raccoon emerged from behind the couch and burst into fits of laughter.

"Did you see her _**face**_!" Rocket gasped, on the brink of tears, "' _Where is that furry rat?_ '" he imitated in a squeaky voice, making Peter smile. He was glad that his companion had gotten over their strained conversation earlier. Come to think of it, this little prank he had pulled on Gamora was probably his method of getting over it. Did that mean Peter had indirectly caused Gamora frustration through lying to Rocket?

"I am Groot" piped up a new voice, as the three Guardians turned to the entrance to the kitchen just in time to witness the tiny brown mass of roots tumble over the raised doorframe which served as an airlock in emergencies.

"Awwww, come on, it was only a bit of fun!" the raccoon chided as he leaned down to right the sentient plant.

"I am _**Groot**_ " he responded, pulling his meanest scowl, which pitifully failed due to his cuteness.

"No, I'm not apologising!" cried Rocket, dwarfing the baby from his great height of three feet. He picked Groot up in order to speak to him face to face. "So, she was talking in her sleep and I recorded it on Star-Lord's music thingy. It's nothing compared to tricks I've played in the past!" He began cackling once again as he reminisced about the theft of a Ravager's glass eye during their last mission. It was in no way relevant to completing the Guardians' mission, Rocket just revelled in the ensuing catastrophe when the Ravager awoke the next day unable to locate his missing eyeball.

Meanwhile, Peter was on a different train of thought. _Gamora was talking in her sleep? Rocket recorded it on my Walkman? How?_ He spoke up.

"Rocket? If I may just interrupt your maniacal rumination…" The raccoon returned to the present and quietened down. "Where is my Walkman, how did you record Gamora on it, and what could she have said to make her so furious with you?"

"Well, your thing is under your pillow, just waiting to be listened to…It'll become obvious what she was talking about as soon as you…you…" he broke off, tears flowing from his eyes as he gasped and collapsed in a heap of convulsive laughter once more. Peter was confused, and now a little worried. The only way you could use the Walkman for recording something was if there was a tape in there. Which there was, the last time he checked – Awesome Mix Vol. 2, Meredith's final gift to him before she had passed away…

" _ **ROCKET!**_ " Peter suddenly yelled, making everyone jump. The little Groot squeaked and leapt out of Rocket's arms, tears running down his trunk as he scrambled behind Drax's muscular calf.

"Hey! What the hell…?!" roared the raccoon, glaring at Peter with his teeth bared. Peter's veins were throbbing in his temples as he reached for his Element Gun in his belt. Drax saw a fight brewing and stepped between them instantly, not wanting his friends to rip each other's throats out over a seemingly unimportant matter. The involvement of the 680-pound Destroyer barely hindered Peter as he bellowed:

" _ **DID YOU RECORD GAMORA SLEEPTALKING OVER THE LAST TAPE MY MOTHER GAVE ME?!**_ "

Drax understood now and scowled at the raccoon, who was anxiously backing away from them both, paws raised. The muffled sounds of Groot wailing behind Drax intensified, and Rocket began to stammer:

"Quill! I didn't know! I thought it was a clean tape! You know how Terran items confuse me! You…AAGH!" The raccoon shrieked as two shots from Peter's Element Gun minutely whizzed past him. "I DIDN'T MEAN IT!" He cried, as three more plasma bolts graced his thin fur. "It wasn't a long recording! Please! I doubt anything major has been taped over!"

He was now leaping from wall to wall to dodge the barrage of gunfire that Peter was shooting at him like a crazed criminal. _NOT THE LAST GIFT FROM MY MOTHER!_ Was all that span round in his mind like a tornado as he clamped his finger down on the Element's trigger and targeted Rocket like a heat-seeking missile. He would have succeeded in injuring him too, had Drax not wrestled with his arm and ruined his perfect aim.

After what seemed like an eternity of struggling in the life-or-death situation, Drax managed to tackle Peter to the floor and stop him shooting. Rocket and Groot, breathless and petrified, ran from the kitchen as fast as their limbs could carry them. There was no doubt that the raccoon would never forgive himself for this. _GOOD,_ thought Peter, before furiously struggling against Drax's insistent authority. When he knew the youth would not chase after the raccoon, Drax slowly released Peter and looked mournfully into his eyes.

"I am sorry, Quill," he said.

"Just what I needed" seethed Peter, "I've lost all of my true family now" he said, pacing up and down before collapsing on the couch and trying to hold back the tears. He buried his face into a grubby cushion there and roared. Drax was quietly bruised by Peter's ignorance of the family he had around him who were still living and breathing. Nevertheless, he understood his friend's present suffering and let him get on with it non-judgementally.


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note:

To the people who read the beginning of my first ever fanfiction, I'm sorry I've been absent for years.

The source of my absence was a negative review - crazy, right? I retreated into a shell of sorts and decided not to publish my writing again, returning to writing privately.

I'm sure many can understand this. My thinking was, if people didn't like my material, why should I continue to put it out there if it annoys people? Give them a break, I thought.

However, I was favourited by a few people. I even got a few requests to contribute more. This positive feedback gave me hope; some people do like what I'm creating. So I am now FINALLY returning to see if the next instalment in Some Unspoken Feeling goes down well with those interested in the ideas of an Ambitious English Student!

Again - I apologise to you all for letting one negative review stop me until now. It was a silly reaction to have. I'll be posting as regularly as I can get pen to paper (so to speak) and can offer complete chapters.

I hope this next chapter is to your liking!

AmbitiousEnglishStudent

* * *

Gamora was livid to say the least. That damned raccoon had gone too far this time. Recording someone talking during a nightmare and showing it to everyone? Really? How evil can a little beast be?

"Where has he put that tape?!" she growled through gritted teeth as she ripped at the seats of the Milano's cockpit, searching for any open seams in which the little brat could have slipped the small plastic sound recorder. _This could_ _take ages_ , she glowered, given the intricacy of Rocket's plans for uproar. It could be anywhere!

After Drax had shuffled off in search of Rocket to presumably ask the raccoon to man up – metaphorically – and apologise to Peter given the magnitude of the damage caused by his mischief, the Star-Lord calmed down and anxiously pondered the walk to his shadowy bunk knowing that there was a destroyed part of his memory waiting for him. He ruminated on what Rocket had said about the damage being minimal, wondering whether he was catastrophising and had overreacted earlier. Either way, what had happened had happened and Rocket was going to make sure he didn't pass Peter in the corridors for a long while yet. Peter cursed himself when he thought of how he had terrified the poor baby Groot with his yelling, and had been prepared to end one of his teammates so readily when presented with the threat of losing something so important to him again.

 _I am mad,_ he thought. _I almost murdered Rocket. How could I live with that had Drax failed to stop me?_ He put his head in his hands despairingly at the thought. _Rocket has stuck by us during our missions when death has looked him in the eye and money has formed no part of the end goal. How could I have been so out of control today?_ Then a thought crossed his mind that made his blood run cold.

 ** _Am I like my father?_**

Before he could entertain the idea any further, Gamora breezed into the room and halted with a gasp as she regarded the burn marks marring the ceiling, floor and all four walls. Turning to face Peter with eyes wide, she exclaimed:

"What in the Galaxy happened in here?"

Peter smiled weakly and replied, "Can't you guess? Rocket" before scoffing and hanging his head. Not even the presence of the woman he felt most connected to could uplift him now he was just waiting to discover that he would never hear the likes of Mr. Blue Sky again.

"He played a cruel trick on you too?" Gamora asked as she approached Peter with grave concern, inferring that it was an unforgivable trick by the looks of the room. Peter motioned in a way that resembled a tiny nod, and Gamora squatted before him so she could meet the crushed man's eyes. He raised his head and they gazed into one another's souls. Gamora was overcome by a need to comfort this man who had just lost two father figures and had been recklessly hurt yet again.

After a few moments, she reached out and took one of Peter's hands in both of hers, giving it a reassuring squeeze. She was careful not to grasp too tightly as she had enhanced strength and could easily crush bone, but Peter wouldn't have felt it if she had. He was enveloped in the warmth of her touch and the kindness of her gesture; it took him over and transported him to the farthest reaches of the Galaxy. He closed his eyes.

"Tell me what he did and we'll work through it together," she whispered, her earlier wrath ebbing away as she used her energy to coax her comrade back to the here and now. "We have no calling, no mission to attend to at the moment. The Galaxy can wait awhile, if it's duty holding you back" she continued kindly. Their faces were inches apart, and Peter could feel her gentle breaths. He reopened his eyes to focus on her.

He had only been this close to her twice before, firstly when they had shared a listening of his other tape and been caught up in a romantic song, and secondly when he had saved her life after her ship had exploded upon impact with a rogue necro-blast during their first mission. Peter felt the invisible gravity between them intensify once more in this moment. Gamora smiled. Wanting to shield her from the terrible truth of Rocket's devilry against him and keep her smile alive, he said:

"I think he's planted something unpleasant in my room, which I could just do without at the minute. I was in the middle of talking to Drax about something important too when he barrelled in laughing like a maniac and not caring whose conversation he upset. It just pissed me off" he admitted, without wholly confessing why he was truly upset. He felt Gamora negligibly stiffen and her eyes fell from his to the floor. "What is it?" he implored. She seemed to clear her throat nervously before speaking.

"If you don't mind, I think I know what he's planted in there. You see, the trick he played on me was to record me having a nightmare and show it to you all." Peter was enraged! How could Rocket possibly find someone in such a defenceless state entertaining? He stood up immediately with balled fists. Gamora was startled by his sudden burst of energy.

" ** _I am going to search this ship_** " he snarled in the direction of the door, " ** _And if I find a mere whiff of a raccoon in any of MY quarters, I will ensure that it never again sees the light of day._** "

"Peter!" Gamora gasped, grabbing his shoulders and forcing him to turn to her, "No! You can't. He was just being stupid. As long as the tape is destroyed or taped over, I don't mind! Has Rocket not showed it to you yet then? If not, I'm fine!" Peter was shaking, but he looked into Gamora's eyes and allowed her to calm him. "We. Are fine." She asserted, softening her grip on his shoulders slightly. Then, she rested her forehead against his, causing the Star-Lord's breath to hitch in weakness. "Let's head to your bunk and get this over with" she whispered, and Peter could not refuse the support of this wonderful intergalactic being.

In Peter's bunk, Rocket was desperately trying to undo the damage he had caused - a mammoth task for someone not from Earth and thus unfamiliar with its gadgets. But still, he was talented with technology and was determined to show Peter that he had honestly done no harm to his precious tape. He didn't even know that the damn tape in the recorder was his most precious one when he'd started recording!

"I am Groot" stammered the little tree trunk that sat on the bed, watching Rocket and then the door, which he clearly expected to open at any point with a raging Peter behind it.

"He's not coming, buddy, don't worry" replied Rocket, "and I'm sure he didn't mean to shout earlier. Pals just misunderstand each other sometimes…" his voice cracked as he realised how much of an idiot he had been trying to get the loss of Yondu out of his head. "I've been a jerk" he sighed.

"I am Groot" said the baby, slowly approaching and stroking the raccoon's soft fur. Rocket growled and cursed himself as he struggled with the Terran object, but after what seemed like eons he finally accepted that there was no way he could re-tape the lost songs on his friends cassette. Unless…

 ** _No way._**

 ** _YES WAY._**

"Quill will love me for this once he's gotten over the temporary chaos my plan'll cause!" He exclaimed excitedly as he raced towards the door and flung it open, cassette in paw.

Drax met him at the doorway, blocking his path.

"Where are you going with Quill's mixtape?" he demanded, his eyes hard.

"Can't tell, won't tell, Big Man!" he said cheerfully.

"I will not let you hurt Quill any more. It isn't fair to not let us know what you're doing with his most precious possession, Rocket Raccoon." Rocket's mood was dampened. Groot whimpered at his feet.

"All right," Rocket's tone changed from cocky to sly. "Tell me where Peter is and I'll explain exactly what I plan to do with this here mixtape. Deal?"

"Are you stupid, Raccoon?!" bellowed Drax, "If Quill sees you with that object he will try to kill you again knowing what you have done!"

"Oh, I give up!" growled Rocket, shoving past Drax's monstrous calf and making a break for it. Groot cried and Drax scooped him up, leaving the raccoon to put himself in danger if he wished. He had tried, and at least baby Groot was safe.

Gamora and Peter walked down the corridor at the same pace, thinking about anything but the potential horror they were about to experience. They met each other's eyes occasionally and half-smiled, glad that despite the uncomfortable situation, they were in it together. Gamora knew she would be embarrassed by whatever was caught on tape, but being a determined woman, she was prepared to attack it head-on and dispel the feeling of embarrassment after the recording was over. Peter was just worried that all of the precious music that his late mother had compiled for him would be lost forever because of some mischievous raccoon. _Having been genetically manipulated on Halfworld must have left him that way,_ thought Peter, _but surely there's enough decency in him to consider the impact of his reckless actions on his loyal friends?_

They reached the doorway of Peter's bunk, and his eyebrows drew together in a glower of fury.

"What the hell has he **done**!" he snarled, bursting into the room - which was dishevelled more than usual. He dived for the pillow that Rocket claimed to have planted the cassette under, but the object was gone. "ROCKET!" He roared.

Just then, Drax appeared at the doorway like a shadow. Gamora regarded him tolerantly, knowing that he knew something as the Groot was sitting in his right palm. The little tree trunk was never away from his best friend, so Gamora had a good idea that Rocket had fled and tried to keep the little one safe. She let Peter do the interrogating.

" ** _Where is he?_** " came the rasping voice. "I WANT MY MIXTAPE BACK!"

Before Drax could respond, the whole team was thrown off its feet as the Milano performed a huge barrel roll out of nowhere. Baby Groot screamed as he was jolted from Drax's palm, and everything seemed to move in slow motion as he watched the ground speed towards him through his tiny eyes.

Gamora grunted as she swooped in and clasped the defenceless trunk to her chest, inches from the ground. The team crashed to the floor and groaned, but they were more startled than hurt. Suddenly, the tannoy crackled into life:

"Sorry about that unplanned manoeuvre, adrenaline junkies" it was of course Rocket's voice. "Just gettin' used to the controls again. This is your pilot speaking. Tonight's mission is headed for the planet Earth!" The Guardians looked at one another in disbelief. Peter was becoming more and more livid by the nanosecond. First his last present from his late mother, now his most valuable asset, the M-ship he had possessed since he was ten years old. He thrusted himself up onto his feet and prepared to find Rocket and teach him a lesson in respect. Drax leaped for him and was beginning to talk Quill down when Rocket continued, "Yes, we have an unexpected flight plan, and we're gonna have to make a few jumps to get there, but it's all for a good cause. It's a trip in the name of the legendary Star-Lord!" Peter felt immensely confused but took a few deep breaths to bring himself back into a sane mental state. Drax felt confident enough to release his grip.

"What in the Galaxy is he thinking?" Gamora panted, standing up to join the rest of the Guardians.

"I don't know for certain, but I think it might be a raccoon's strange way of apologising" Drax said, executing a perfected wink in Peter's direction.


	3. Chapter 3

Peter was understandably agitated. Rocket had in his possession two of the Star Lord's greatest treasures, and he was getting away with doing whatever he wanted with them.

Peter wanted nothing more than to burst into the cockpit and demand that Rocket tell him exactly what in the galaxy was going on or answer to his Element Gun. He wanted to regain control over his ship, which was on a course headed for God knows where, and he wanted his mother's last gift to him safely tucked away in its cassette case – this time, never to be opened again for fear of the heartache he would experience upon pressing play and seeing the spools turn with no accompanying melody.

The more Peter thought about it, the unhappier he became. He had absolutely no control over what had happened, and there was no turning back time to undo Rocket's recording. His hands were shaking.

Observing the Star-Lord's relentless pacing, Gamora couldn't stand to watch his discomfort.

"Peter," she began, taking him by the shoulders again, more roughly this time, "You have to just calm down."

Quill exploded.

" ** _WHY ARE YOU DEFENDING HIM?_** " he roared at her, throwing her hands off him and taking her by surprise. From where he was standing by the door, Drax, wide-eyed, unfolded his arms in alarm and stepped forward. Baby Groot dived behind the couch in terror.

Gamora looked away, regained her composure and came eye-to-eye with Peter. She was, after all, a hardened warrior who could withstand any injury, physical or psychological.

" ** _I've let it go!_** " she growled back, her veins throbbing with determination, "He's wronged me, but I've risen above it! It's happened! This **_isn't_** the end of the galaxy, Peter, but you're behaving like it is! Rocket's an asshole at times, but he'd never want to hurt you deliberately! Don't you realise that by now? We are a **_TEAM_**! Till the end! **_He is not your father!_** Can't you find any **_forgiveness_** in yourself, or is this going to be the end of the Guardians of the Galaxy forever?!"

Peter's conviction wavered for a moment. The thick fog of rage storming in his mind thinned out a little. She was talking sense, but Peter wasn't ready to offer Rocket his forgiveness yet. Too many things were going wrong, being stolen from him. His mother, his ship, what else was there to destroy of Peter Quill? What else did he have to his name? Peter was becoming a little dizzy with these revelations. He took a step back from Gamora and collapsed on the couch, eyes glazed over.

"Are you all right, Peter?" Gamora asked concernedly. Quill was still looking ahead blankly.

"Yeah…" he replied after a few moments, coming into focus. He looked at the Guardians around him. They were his family now. What do functional families do when one of them messes up seemingly beyond repair? They work through it together and they forgive and forget, because they know they're better off together. Isn't that what his father, Yondu, had taught him in his bumpy teen years? Dividing is never the answer. Dividing is the route to despair. Yondu had never abandoned him in his life, even though he was an outcast among the Ravagers. Peter breathed in and out slowly, allowing the fog to clear.

"Gamora," he said, and she came to his side. He took her powerful hand in his. "I'm sorry I raised my voice. I needed what you just said to me right now," he looked over to Drax. "I promise I've gotten over this now. Like Gamora said, anyway, it's happened. I need to detach myself from the little kid I have been pretending to be, trying to bring my Mom back to life through listening to her tape. I needed to accept that, too. She is gone. Us three" he gestured to his teammates, "are in the here and now, and that's all we've got." Gamora smiled at him. "As long as Rocket doesn't harm my ship, which I'm sure he doesn't intend to, I'd like to know more about the journey he's got in mind."

In the cockpit, Rocket was slightly nervous. Sure, he was confident in his ability to get the ship to Earth – he only had to follow the Milano's navigation system and had memorised the jump pattern – but dread filled his mind like poison when he thought about the gravity of his mission to regain Peter's good graces. Firstly, he didn't know how he was going to approach the planet undetected; Earth wasn't exactly at the top of the league tables in terms of its global defence systems, but its inhabitants could spot and destroy any approaching object from outer space with cosmic equipment. Secondly, if they got as far as disembarking onto the planet's surface, how would they not be detained as aliens as soon as a Human caught sight of the team? And thirdly…

"Forget it," said Rocket aloud, casting aside any further worries, "I'll just have to face him." His paws trembled on the steering wheel as the Milano approached the first jump portal. He reached for the tannoy microphone.

The other four Guardians had just sat down to eat dinner back in the kitchen when the tannoy once again crackled into life above their heads.

"Gooood evening, team" came the slightly wobbly voice, and everyone looked up, "We're currently approaching the first jump of our journey, so hold onto your hats as we go through!" Drax immediately looked as if he was thinking hard, and felt his bald head. He opened his mouth to speak, but Peter shook his head with a stifled smirk. Drax growled quietly.

Rocket continued, "Oh yeah, and could I ask that Quill joins me up front to give me a hand. It's something Earth related" the transmission ended immediately after. Peter and Gamora talked quietly amongst themselves. Drax suddenly rose from his chair in disgust. The other three looked on in disbelief.

"All right, this time Rocket has gone too far. Why does one of Peter's hands need to be cut off in the name of Earth?" It took a few moments for the others to replay the transmission in their heads to figure out where this insane question had come from. Then, realising at the same time, Peter and Gamora laughed.

"Seriously, Drax? I really appreciate your concern, but it was only an expression," tittered Quill, signalling for the big guy to sit back down. "What that means is, could I give him some help." Drax sat down silently.

Groot nestled himself into Peter's cherry-red jacket pocket and braced himself for the jump, and the others followed suit by taking hold of the kitchen table firmly.

"Here we go!" muttered Rocket inside the cockpit, and the Milano was sucked through the glowing portal into another part of the galaxy.


End file.
